Articles: intubation.
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Pediatric emergency care · Sep 1990
ReviewRapid sequence anesthesia induction for emergency intubation.
Emergency intubations are done for a variety of reasons in the emergency department (ED). In some patients, a rapid, controlled induction of anesthesia is useful to facilitate intubation and to reduce the complications of intubation. This is referred to a rapid sequence induction (RSI) in the anesthesia literature. ⋯ We feel that a sedative in combination with vecuronium represents the most optimal means of achieving RSI in the ED setting. Although the induction of general anesthesia is best done by anesthesiologists, emergency physicians are often the most experienced physicians immediately available to manage an airway in a critical emergency. An objective protocol such as that described will make it easier for emergency physicians to perform this procedure when needed.